[35] THE SCHOONER GRAMPUS. 471 



ground, and of a support to keep the beam above the bottom and distend 

 the mouth of the net. 



The beam is of oak, 30 feet in length and 6 inches diameter. The ap- 

 pearance of the trawl, when rigged, and its several sections are shown in 

 Plates xv and xvi. 



The object of having a beam trawl of this size is that the utility of this 

 form of apparatus for commercial fishing off our Atlantic coast might be 

 fairly tested by the Grampus. Eeference is made to Vol. VII, Bull. U. S. 

 Fish Commission, pages 289 to 407, for information concerning the beam 

 trawl and its use in European waters. 



22. THE PURSE-SEINE.* 



The purse-seine is similar to those used by the New England fisher- 

 men for the capture of mackerel. It is 150 fathoms long, as hung, and 

 is 700 meshes deep, the mesh being 2 inches, stretch measure. The 

 seine is composed of several sections. A small section in the middle 

 termed the " bailing piece," which is 500 meshes long by 200 meshes 

 deep, is made of number 20-12 twine. The rest of the bunt is made of 

 number 20-9 twine. On each side of the bunt is a narrow strip 150 

 meshes wide by 685 meshes deep of number 10-6 twine. The wings are 

 made of number 20-6 twine, each of them being 165 yards long in the 

 web, and 685 meshes deep. There is a border along the lower edge 

 of the wings 15 meshes deep made of number 20-9 twine. 



The seine was tanned and then tarred to preserve it. The object of 

 doing this was to prevent it from heating, which might be the case if tar 

 only was used. It is hung in the usual manner. Small galvanized, 

 iron pulleys or purse-blocks f are used on the bottom instead of rings, 

 for the purse-line to reeve through. 



The following are the approximate weights of the various items enter- 

 ing into the construction of the seine, exclusive of the purse blocks: 



Pounds. 



Web 350 



Corks, 1,500 No. 2 135 



Manilla ropo 75 



Purse-rope 125 



Leads ou foot 50 



Tar 400 



This makes a total of 1,135 pounds. If we add to that the probable 

 weight of the purse-blocks, about 50 pounds, it wiH make a total of 

 1,185 pounds. The net, when it is put into the water and wet through, 

 will weigh from 400 to 600 pounds more. 



*The purse-seine used on the Grampus was orginally made for the Albatross. It 

 was not, however, used by the latter vessel, and when the Grampus was built it was 

 transferred to her by the Commissioner. 



All of the twine is hawser laid twine, made of the best Sea Island cotton. 



t These are the invention of Captain George Merchant, jr., who made the seine. 



